Why Protective Face Masks Are Still Important

The decision to wear a protective face mask in 2022 is likely a contentious issue, given that people can once again be mask free. However, wearing a protective face mask in many situations is still important.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately six million have died from the virus. By August this year, one million died from COVID-19 in 2022 alone!

But did you know that coronavirus is not the only life-threatening element you should be worried about? Other hazardous pollutants, allergens, smog, various airborne viruses may be floating through the air and can cause damage to your lungs or respiratory health. On other situations, they may also trigger asthmatic reactions in people suffering from asthma or bronchitis.

The American Lung Association established that air pollution could negatively affect your respiratory system, which can cause cardiovascular diseases and even death.  

Various diseases have been linked to air pollution, including but not limited to lung cancer and asthma. That’s why it could be in your best interest to wear a protective face mask in public places especially in areas where is highly populated and polluted.

However, it is important to note that not all stretchy face masks can effectively protect you from allergens and viruses. Not all masks are created equal. A comfortable protective face mask should be well-fitting to reduce your chances of exposure to airborne droplets or particles. If it’s a reusable face mask, it should be washable and have at least two fabric layers,of which one is a filter.

On the other hand, a disposable protective face mask can only be used once and thrown in the bin. Also, remember to replace disposable face masks once they become moist. 

How Effective Is A Protective Face Mask?

Even before the pandemic, people with allergies would wear protective face masks when doing gardening work or during days with significantly high pollen levels or they are in occupation where smog or dust is rampant. Most pollen grains are ten micrometers, but protective face masks can shield you from particles as small as three micrometers. 

According to the CDC, your best bet is to use a face mask that:

• Has a well fitted nose wire. 
• Covers the mouth and nose.
• Has two fabric layers that are breathable and washable.
• Can fit on both sides of the face with no gaps

If you have a higher risk of severe disease or a weakened immune system, make sure you always wear a mask. Scientists researched the quality of protective face masks to determine which type is the most effective in protecting against allergens and viruses.

Another important reason to still wear a protective mask is to protect the ones that are most vulnerable to the airborne diseases. They could be the elderly and those with underlying conditions, chronic, terminal illness or a compromised and weak immune system.

Here are the most common types of face masks:

N95 Masks

An N95 face mask provides high levels of protection and meets United States quality standards. It is a more effective medical face mask since it filters out small and large particles.

The general public can use the non-surgical N95 option. Like surgical masks, N95 masks are intended to be disposable. However, researchers are testing ways to disinfect and reuse them. According to the CDC, surgical N95 face masks should be used by healthcare staff members. N95 masks are disposable, just like surgical masks. They also have valves that make them easier to breathe through.

KN95 Masks

KN95 masks meet specific international standards. They are more effective than medical masks since they filter out small and large particles. 

Surgical Masks

Surgical or Medical Masks are loose-fitting surgical masks that are intended to be disposable. They are designed to protect you from sprays and droplets that may be contaminated. Medical Masks also filter out particles when you breathe in. 

According to theAmerican Journal of Infection Control, an ideal face mask should have two layers of Fabric fitted with a medical mask. This option is known as double masking.

How Do Face Masks Work?

Viruses are transmitted when infected people breathe, talk, sneeze or cough in the form of respiratory droplets. These droplets are either large or small. The same case applies to pollen grains and other allergens. 

Masks reduce the release of small particles into the air. They are trapped by fabric fibers when the wearer exhales.

Since small airborne particles don’t move in a straight line, medical face masks can easily trap particles smaller than the pores in the masks. Pierre Herkes, School of Molecular Sciences Professor at Arizona State University, explains this behavior as Brownian Motion. 

According to multiple studies, the type of mask you wear matters. N95 is mostly designed for healthcare workers or may be most effective in medical situations. A high quality cloth masks with embedded double filters, premium fabric and is anti-microbial treated can be your best bet when dealing with day to day allergens or pollutants as they are alot more comfortable and easier to breath in comparatively.

How Long are Face Masks Good For?

How long you should wear your face mask depends on who you ask. According to WHO, you should change your medical masks every 4 hours. Multiple studies, including Smart Air’s research show that you can wear surgical masks for more than 4 hours.

However, countries like Australia and France still recommend the 4-hour maximum use of masks. WHO made this recommendation based on the 2009 study that established that the tolerance of disposable masks begins decreasing after 4 hours of use.

You may find yourself touching your face mask when you can no longer tolerate it, increasing the chances of contact contamination. Moreover, when the face mask becomes wet, its electrostatic qualities and air permeability decrease. This makes it less breathable, so WHO recommends changing your disposable masks frequently.

N95 and surgical masks still retain their filtration properties for more than 4 hours. You can, however, change the mask:

• When the filtering section of the mask becomes wet.
• When the mask becomes damaged.
• When infectious droplets get onto the face mask.

Face Mask with Eye Protection

Sometimes a regular face mask does not provide adequate protection for certain tasks, and that’s where a face mask with eye protection comes in handy. A face mask with a protective shield protects the eyes from infectious droplets or pollutants.

Some types come with an aluminum wire that helps the mask stretch over the nose for better filtration. A face mask with an eye shield may be well suited to health settings since eye protection is critical. 

Isolation Protective Mask Face Shield

An isolation protective mask face shield provides eye and face protection from dust, droplets, and bacteria. It has an environmentally friendly PET polymer material that effectively blocks airborne diseases, allergens, fumes, droplets, and smoke.

Face Mask to Protect from Smoke

As wildfires become a regular occurrence in California and Oregon, it might be in your best interest to wear a face mask to protect from smoke. These respirator masks can also protect you from chemical fumes and dust. 

UV Protection Face Mask

Unfortunately, most face masks are ineffective for UV protection. You still need to protect your skin even when wearing protective face masks.

So you have a surgical mask covering your nose and chin under the scorching sun? Nah — that is not doing enough to protect your skin from UV rays. We recommend wearing sun block before putting on your masks.  If that is not an option or you hate the sticky feeling of a sun block cream, get a  high-quality UV protection face mask designed with UVF protection.

All our BreatheEasierMask has UVF50 for UV protection against the sun.

Protective Face Mask for Sensitive Skin

A protective face mask for sensitive skin is ideal for anyone who frequently has bouts of skin irritation and redness. Most masks are not hypoallergenic and cause what we call “maskne” acne or skin breakouts caused by masks wearing.

The easy solution? Wearing our BreatheEasierMasks ( available in both Classic using antibacterial soft bamboo or Collagen-Infused inner fabric) . All our masks are hypoallergenic, skin friendly and will not cause maskne. BreatheEasierMasks uses a patented antimicrobial technology to treat the fabric used on all our BreatheEasierMasks This anti-microbial technology releases silver ions in the presence of microbes that neutralize infectious bacteria.

Cooling Face Mask for UV Protection

So, where can you find the best cooling face mask with UV protection?

Most face masks are made of cotton material for comfort purposes with replaceable filters. Unfortunately, this makes them thick, unbreathable  and will make you sweat around your mouth area and certainly most masks  will not provide any UV protection.

Your best option: Find a protective face mask that is anti-microbial treated for UV protection, uses the Bamboo fabric for its inner fabric as it is soft, cooling, naturally breathable and a lot more sustainable option than other types of fabric. BreatheEasierMask is anti-microbial treated, has embedded filters,  uses bamboo as its inner fabric that is themoregulating – keeping you cool during the hot summer weathers and warm during the cold winds or cold weather days. Furthermore it has UVF50 for UV protection protecting you from the harsh rays of the sun at the same time.

FAQs

Conclusion

While wearing a face mask is critical in preventing the spread of airborne diseases and inhaling pollen grains, using a high-quality face mask is just as important. 

One of the proven benefits of using BreathEasierMask is that our masks offer 4 layers of protection with double filters using the hydrophobic filter (similar to the ones used in surgical masks). All our BreatheEasierMasks  are anti-microbial treated to prevent acne-causing bacteria and microbes from building up. Elegantly designed with a soft bamboo inner layer with a concave nose space to allow for easy breathing that you forget that you have a mask on sometimes –  our masks also have an adjustable strap to fit well on any face shapes or sizes.